1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an advertisement system for transmitting advertisement information to terminals via a network for promotion, and a server suitable for use in the system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally known is an advertisement system which displays advertisement information called a xe2x80x9cbannerxe2x80x9d on part of a display screen of a home page or the like at a terminal.
In such a system, a banner displayed on part of a display screen of a home page or the like exerts its advertising effects. A user viewing the banner and having an interest can call a server linked to the banner to get more detailed advertisement information. This increases the advertisement effectiveness.
Also known is an advertisement system via television broadcast.
The above conventional system of only displaying a banner on part of a display screen tries to design a more attractive display screen and/or offers gifts so as to attract users"" attention or interest. However, the degree of users"" attention to such an advertisement display is limited or not so high, resulting in advertisement not always exerting its largest effects.
In the conventional advertising system via television broadcast, advertisement is provided to users through television broadcast in one-way communications, being unlikely to have high advertising effects.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an advertisement distribution system overcoming the above conventional problems and having much higher advertising effects by displaying advertisement information on a game executed via a network, and a server suitable for use in the system.
An advertisement distribution system according to the present invention comprises: a server preparing distribution information comprising game information and advertisement information for transmission; and at least one terminal receiving the distribution information from the server, the terminal displaying a game screen using the game information included in the distribution information, and displaying the advertisement information included in the distribution information on the game screen.
Thus, the terminal displays the advertisement information included in the distribution information received on the game screen displayed using the game information included in the distribution information when a user is executing a game using the terminal, so that the chance of making the user view the advertisement information is increased, thereby providing higher advertisement effects.
In the above advertisement distribution system, the advertisement information preferably comprises image information, sound information, or a combination thereof.
Also, the advertisement information preferably comprises an advertiser""s name, a product name, a service name, the substance of a product, the substance of a service, or any combination thereof.
Thus, the advertisement information can be made from predetermined music (such as a theme song or a commercial song) or from voice expressions or image expressions (such as a character, figure or picture) of the name of a product or service, an advertiser, a catch phrase or the like, so as to increase the advertisement effects.
In the above advertisement distribution system, the game information preferably comprises a plurality of game display elements constituting the game screen; and the server preferably changes at least one of the game display elements included in the game information into the advertisement information, thereby preparing the distribution information.
Thus, the game screen with at least one of the game display elements changed into the advertisement information is displayed, that is, the advertisement information is always displayed on the game screen, so that a user would inevitably view the advertisement information during playing a game, resulting in increased advertisement effects.
In the above advertisement distribution system, the server preferably prepares the distribution information comprising the game display elements and/or the advertisement information which have been selected by the terminal.
Thus a game of a type of pushing down a selection button or the like to select game display elements or advertisement information displayed on a game screen, such as a slot machine game or a roulette game can be provided.
Also, the server preferably stores a winning history when the terminal selects predetermined advertisement information or a predetermined combination of the advertisement information.
Thus in a game of the above-described type of selecting game display elements or advertisement information, when predetermined advertisement information or a predetermined combination of advertisement information is selected, it is decided as a xe2x80x9cwin of the gamexe2x80x9d and added value such as offering a gift is provided to the user, thereby increasing users"" commitment to the game and increasing the chance of users"" viewing the advertisement information, providing increased advertisement effects.
Also, the server preferably prepares the distribution information based on a result of a game executed by the terminal using the game information.
Thus advertisement information included in a game screen can be changed based on a result of the game in which a user has great interest, increasing the chance of the user""s viewing the advertisement information, resulting in increased advertisement effects.
Also, the server preferably stores a winning history when having prepared predetermined distribution information.
Thus the decision of a xe2x80x9cwin of a gamexe2x80x9d is made when the user clears the game, thereby increasing the commitment of the user to the game and increasing the chance of users"" viewing the advertisement information, and providing increased advertisement effects.
In the above advertisement distribution system, the game is preferably a slot machine game with a plurality of rotatable drums on which the game display elements and/or the advertisement information are disposed; and the server preferably stores a winning history when the advertisement information on the drums constitutes a predetermined combination in at least one of a vertical, lateral or slanting direction.
Thus a slot machine game in which a plurality of game display elements or advertisement information is displayed on a game screen and the decision of a xe2x80x9cwin of the gamexe2x80x9d is made depending on a combination of advertisement information selected by the user pushing down selection buttons can be provided.
In the above advertisement distribution system, the server preferably comprises a game server storing the game information and an advertisement server storing the advertisement information; and the game server preferably imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server, and prepares the distribution information comprising the advertisement information imported and the game information stored therein.
Further, in the above advertisement distribution system, the server preferably comprises a game server storing the game information and the advertisement information, and a broadcast station; and the broadcast station preferably imports the game information and the advertisement information from the game server, prepares the distribution information comprising the imported advertisement and game information, and transmits the prepared distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.
Further, in the above advertisement distribution system, the server preferably comprises an advertisement server storing the advertisement information, a game server storing the game information, and a broadcast station; and the broadcast station preferably imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server, imports the game information from the game server, prepares the distribution information comprising the imported advertisement and game information, and transmits the prepared distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.
Thus using bothway communications between the terminal and the broadcast station, users"" response can be obtained, resulting in more effective advertisement.
Further, in the above advertisement distribution system, the server preferably comprises an advertisement server storing the advertisement information, a game server storing the game information, and a broadcast station; the game server preferably imports the advertisement information from the advertisement server and prepares the distribution information comprising the imported advertisement information and the game information stored therein; and the broadcast station preferably imports the distribution information from the game server and transmits the imported distribution information to the terminal by means of broadcasting.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings.